Below is the text of Mr Major’s comments on Saddam Hussein, made in Merseyside on Friday 15th February 1991.

PRIME MINISTER:

As further details have become apparent throughout the day, it has become crystal clear that there seems to be a very large number of conditions attached to the apparent offer that had come out of Baghdad early this morning. That is very disappointing but it does look as though it is not a serious attempt to reach a conclusion but something of a bogus sham. That seems to be apparent and the more we learn about what has been said, the more that seems to be the case. I regret that very much but I fear that is the only conclusion that we are able to draw from what we have heard thus far.